The Remote Work Toolkit I Wish I’d Had When I Started

Last Updated:
December 1, 2021

Transform your work-from-home struggles into success with insights and tools designed to streamline your remote workflow and boost productivity.

NEW COURSE: The remote and home working toolkit

Home working: it sounds idyllic, doesn’t it? Rolling out of bed, firing up the laptop, enjoying a mug of coffee in your favourite mug (the one you’d never bring into the office). But behind the scenes, the reality bites: dodgy VPNs, endless software trials, colleagues lost in Slack threads, and the creeping suspicion you’re slowly becoming your own IT department.

I’ve spent the best part of a decade wrangling remote work for myself, small remote teams, freelancers, and clients, long before pandemics made it fashionable. If you’re reading this, you’re likely trying to carve out a productive routine, stay sane between Zoom marathons, and keep your digital ducks in a row. That’s where the new Pixelhaze course fits in. The Pixelhaze course is a toolkit and mindset I wish I’d had when I started out, not just a checklist of apps.

The Remote and Home Working Toolkit course is now available, both free for Academy members and over on Udemy for everyone else. Below you’ll find the full scoop, the hard-won lessons, and the step-by-step fixes that’ll spare you wasted hours, frayed tempers, and the odd missed deadline.

Why This Matters

Every minute spent wrangling a software subscription or re-sending a document lost in Gmail fetches is a minute not spent actually working. Multiply that by each person on your team and you’re soon looking at lost weeks and missed opportunities.

Efficiency is only part of the story. Wellbeing (both your own and your team’s), security (there’s always one person uploading files to a mystery website), and, crucially, reputation also play major roles. A remote setup that works smoothly gives you a reliable rhythm, reduces distractions, and stops you throwing your laptop out of the window when yet another desktop notification pops up.

For most, the wasted time and frustration come from trying to copy-paste their old office into home life, tool by tool. The chaos begins when you assume what worked in HQ will work at the kitchen table.

Common Pitfalls

Even the best intentions unravel in the remote jungle. Here are the greatest hits of mistakes I see every week:

Over-Collecting Tools: Drowning in a sea of apps, like video platforms, chat programs, and countless task management tools, without understanding if they solve your actual problems.
Ignoring Integration: Picking great tools, none of which talk to each other. Cue hours spent manually copying data from one to the next.
Security as an Afterthought: We all want to share fast, but rushing through gives hackers an open goal (or, at best, causes confusion with duplicate files everywhere).
Forgetting the Human Angle: Assuming “remote” means always available or always productive. Spoiler: it definitely does not.

Most people don’t realise that a remote toolkit works best when it’s a sensible setup that matches the way you work, not just an assortment of shiny new software.

Step-by-Step Fix

Here’s how to set up a home working toolkit you’ll actually stick with, whether you’re a freelancer, a small business owner, or somewhere in between.

1. Map Your Routine Before Adding Tools

Start with a boring old list. Write out your typical workday, tasks, and communication touchpoints. Where do you spend your time? What needs repeating every day or week? Which parts are slowing you down?

Practical example: If you find yourself juggling Google Mail, dozens of browser tabs, and WhatsApp for client comms, write that down exactly. Then, spot overlap (are you copying call info from emails into your calendar every day?) and highlight the pain points.

Pixelhaze Tip:
If it feels tedious to map your routine, grab a coffee and record a typical day on paper. You’ll spot more bottlenecks than you think, and it will pay off twofold when you’re choosing tools to smooth out the bumps.

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2. Choose Essential Tools, Not Just the Trendy Ones

Now, only pick out tools for the specific problems above. Need honest recommendations? Here are a few that’ve stood up to a decade of actual use:

Communication: Slack if you need instant group chat; Zoom or Whereby for video calls (Google Meet is fine if you’re already deep in G Suite).
File Management: For most, Google Drive does the job, especially if you’re already using Gmail. Dropbox is strong for sharing big files quickly.
Task Management: Trello for simple boards, or Asana if you like a bit more structure.
Notes and Collaboration: Google Docs for real-time editing; Evernote if you need richer, searchable notes that travel between devices.
Password Management: LastPass or 1Password so you don’t stick passwords on post-it notes under the keyboard.
Automation: Zapier if you find yourself manually moving info from one service to another more than once a week.

Trial these before you commit. Seriously, free trials are there for a reason—use them.

Pixelhaze Tip:
If you have to spend more than an hour setting up a new tool or integrating it, ask yourself: is it fixing a real issue, or just adding something shiny? Fewer tools, more wisely-chosen, win every time.

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3. Prioritise Security From The Start

Home Wi-Fi. Password reuse. Email attachments floating around like loose fivers in a pub. Remote work means we all need to tighten up.

Set up two-factor authentication wherever you can, including email, cloud storage, and banking.
Use a VPN for any sensitive browsing or if you’re connecting to a client’s servers. NordVPN and TunnelBear are both simple enough for newcomers.
Don’t share files via public links unless you absolutely have to. Instead, restrict by email address, and always check sharing settings.
For company devices, invest in antivirus/antimalware, even if your operating system says it’s “secure out of the box.” (Hint: it isn’t.)

Pixelhaze Tip:
Keep a “security once-over” routine for your remote setup: update passwords monthly, review sharing settings fortnightly, and use an old-fashioned sticky note to remind you until it’s second nature.

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4. Make Your Tools Work Together

A true time-saver comes from making your chosen tools talk to each other. Manual copying and pasting will drive you to distraction.

Use Zapier or IFTTT to automate connections. For example, new Trello cards can trigger Slack reminders, or incoming calendar events can email you a summary.
Explore the integrations already hiding in your chosen suite. G Suite, for example, lets you link Docs to calendar invites and share with one click.
If you’re already knee-deep in different brands (Outlook email with Google Drive, say), look for bridging tools. CloudHQ, for example, syncs files between different cloud services.

Pixelhaze Tip:
Once you set up a useful integration, document how it works in a shared doc or notebook, so you or your colleague have a clear reference if you need to fix it later.

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5. Establish Routines: These Matter as Much as the Tools

It isn’t all about the software. The best remote workers I’ve known, especially those who stayed calm behind the scenes, established clear patterns.

Build a morning check-in habit, on Slack or via video, even if it’s just to say “here and alive.”
Set specific hours for “dark mode” deep work, letting teammates know you’ll reply later.
Use calendar blocks for focused work and meetings alike, to avoid drifting into yet another 5pm “quick catch-up.”

Pixelhaze Tip:
Your toolkit should help you, not boss you around. If you’re not closing your apps at the end of the day, you’re probably working too late. Set a proper log-off time—even a fake “commute” if you have to (walk the dog, or just go outside and mutter about how cold it is).

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6. Review and Adapt: Technology Is Always Moving

Every few months, take stock. Are your tools still serving their purpose? Is there a better way that’s become available? Don’t be precious about ditching what’s not working; your workflow will suffer if you stick to stubborn habits.

Schedule quarterly reviews to look for overlap or unnecessary subscriptions. Cancel ruthlessly.
Gather feedback from the team. What’s annoying, what’s saving time, what’s gathering digital dust?
Keep an eye on security updates for everything in your toolkit. If your password manager or file storage provider gets breached, act fast.

Pixelhaze Tip:
Subscribe to the newsletters or blogs of the tools you actually use. You’ll find out about updates, security patches, or new integrations before they become problems.

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What Most People Miss

The core trick is to create a system that matches your work style and needs, not to collect every possible tool. Ignore the urge to “keep up with the Joneses” of remote work. Instead, focus on making your workflow reliably effective and simple—when it works, you’ll stop thinking about the tools and get on with the good stuff.

Also, security needs to be part of your daily habits from the beginning, rather than an add-on. Building good habits is far easier than recovering from a password breach or a file accidentally shared with the entire internet.

The Bigger Picture

When your remote and home working toolkit is in place and working well, you gain:

Hours saved each week (less fiddling, more focus)
Improved security posture, so you’re not sweating about cyber mishaps
Flexibility for you and your team to work when and how you do your best work
An easier onboarding process for new team members (just hand them your playbook)
Freedom to focus on creative, valuable tasks instead of repetitive admin

You’ll also bring order and peace to what could otherwise be unending noise.

Wrap-Up

Remote working won’t organise itself. The real secret is working out what actually helps you (and your team), sticking to what works, and gently but ruthlessly clearing out the rest.

The Remote and Home Working Toolkit course walks you through these steps, all in plain English and loaded with practical demos. Academy members get full access, no charge. If you want a focused, no-fluff guide with plenty of real-world examples, head over to the Pixelhaze Academy membership page. You’ll find this toolkit and a whole library of practical guides and community support.

Want more helpful systems like this? Join Pixelhaze Academy for free at https://www.pixelhaze.academy/membership.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I choose the best communication tools for remote work?

Start from your real needs: daily communication, video meetings, file handovers. If you’re solo or with a small team, Google Workspace covers most bases. For instant chats, try Slack. Test-drive these tools with trial versions before buying. Look for integrations—some tools are easier to connect together than others.

What’s the best way to keep my data secure while working from home?

Lock down with two-factor authentication on all accounts. Use strong, unique passwords (with a password manager like LastPass or 1Password). Always use a VPN if you’re connecting to public Wi-Fi or handling anything sensitive. Regularly update your apps, and double-check your sharing settings before sending files.

How do I streamline workflows for remote collaboration?

Look for automation tools like Zapier. They connect your apps without you having to copy and paste everything. For example, trigger alerts in Slack when new documents are ready or move emails into project boards automatically. The time you save adds up quickly.

What if my tools don’t seem to work together?

Sometimes there’s no perfect fit. Look at integration platforms (Zapier, IFTTT, and CloudHQ) or see if your tools have any “native” connections. If you hit a wall, it might be worth switching one tool out for something simpler. The best tool is the one that actually fits your workflow.

What do I do if I get security warnings or my files go missing?

If you receive security warnings or files disappear, act quickly by changing your passwords immediately, alerting your team, and checking your backup and restoration options. For cloud storage, review the “recently deleted” or “activity” tab. For ongoing support, join the Pixelhaze Academy forum or reach out directly; we’re available to help.